Page 4 - CNBC Mag Free Issue Edition 6

As we gel together as a community, we makes it perfect in the first place. Then
are finding our voice, again as individuals there is the joy that Andrew and I feel.
and as a sector of society that has been There is a spring in our step that has been
silent and marginalised for too long. Not absent for years. We are smiling far more
only are we finding our voice; we are than we were a few months ago. We are
starting to feel proud enough to ROAR. loving life even at those times when the
magazine learning curve is so steep, that
Up to now I’ve written about people in we are walking on the ceiling. We are
general. What about Andrew and myself? looking forward to the future, not with
Well, we were so proud with what we dread, but with hope and joy.
personally achieved during WCW. We
launched not one, but two, Thunderclap They say that pride comes before a fall, so
campaigns when we had no idea if there I am taking a risk in sharing this. Andrew
would be enough support to reach the and I are proud about the magazine. We
target. We met them both and were strongly believe that we are creating
astounded with the size of the social reach something very special. We are proud to
achieved. We were proud of the way we be working with all the people who have
coped with the amount of work we were willing given up their time, to create some
doing: we’ve been semi-retired for over amazing content for us.
eight years and out of practice at working
a 9 to 5, let alone a 9am to 11pm. As for A special “call out” needs to go to Tanya
the Innocent Comments that Hurt Video. Trusler (www.editingtoat.com) for the
How could we not be proud of those? work she has done on polishing all of the
Proud of the effort. Proud, and honoured, content. We are proud to give the CNBC
to call the other people recording their community another resource and, more
thoughts; our friends. Proud of the impact importantly, another platform from which
that the finished videos had on other to share its voice. If pride comes before a
people. fall, then so be it, because I am also
learning that being proud of oneself is part
Which leads me onto JOY. Well for a start of owning the fact that WE ARE WORTHY.
that’s Stephanie’s middle name, so that

Stephanie Phillips realised that there was no defined date to raise awareness of the
childless not by choice community so decided to start the World Childless Week. She
hopes the week will help people find the support that recognises their emotions,
validates their thoughts and gives them the confidence to feel worthy of who they are.
She is a firm believer of free support and helps to admin Childless Path to Acceptance
(no ttc talk) Facebook group. She is presently writing a self-help book that is a
collaboration of thoughts from over two hundred childless people.

JODY DAY is the British founder of Gateway Women, the global friendship and support
network for childless women, and the author of 2016’s 'Living the Life Unexpected: 12
Weeks to Your Plan for a Meaningful and Fulfilling Future Without Children'. A founding
and board member at AWOC.org (Ageing Without Children), she’s a former Cambridge
Judge Business School Fellow in Social Innovation, a TEDx speaker and a trainee
integrative psychotherapist. Jody takes great pleasure in helping childless women get
their groove back and find their tribe via the Gateway Women workshops, social media
communities and live social meetups across the world.

Berenice Smith, MA, like many people, started to unravel after experiencing
infertility. She created Walk In Our Shoes during the years after her IVF journey came
to an end. Whilst taking a postgraduate degree in graphic design, to get back in touch
with the person she was before she thought she could be a mother, she created a
website and social design piece to showcase many powerful stories about people
coming to terms with being CNBC. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and their
dog Molly.

4 The Childless Not By Choice Magazine: Launch Issue